When I Was Your Man
by Shenandoah76209
Summary: He doesn't ever want to take her for granted. He couldn't stand it if she regretted sharing her life with him. Just a little one shot in my 'A Smile And A Look' 'verse. A reader reminded me I'd been planning to write this so I thought I'd better get to it before I forgot again. Enjoy! Oh, and thank Morbidlymorbid folks...because the PM I got was the best reminder!


_**When I Was Your Man**_

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><p>Years went by fast, especially when you had kids. When you had kids, a gorgeous wife, and a job that seemed to just suck the hours out of the day…well the years went even faster.<p>

Fin looked over at Elliot. Liv was back at the precinct co-ordinating a search effort while John reached out to his contacts at various interest groups. Elliot and him got stuck with the car and the footwork. "Lemme ask you somethin' man," Fin really hoped he wasn't too far out of line.

"Yeah," Elliot looked up from his notes. "'Cording to this it should be the next house on the left."

"When you an' your wife started havin' trouble, were there like…warnin' signs?" Fin wondered. He was determined to avoid the mistakes of his first marriage but that didn't mean he wouldn't make all new ones. And Elliot had screwed up enough that it seemed like a public service announcement or something. So maybe Fin could learn from Stabler's mess too. God knows someone should. Elliot hadn't. At least not yet.

"Well…apart from my wife telling me she wanted us to separate…" Stabler sighed. "Why? You an' Liv havin' problems?" The other detective looked concerned. "Kathy and I could take the twins for a night, give you two some time."

"Not gonna turn you down on that one," Fin pulled up to the house and the door opened immediately. "To be continued though, okay?"

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><p>"Okay so what's the deal with you and Liv?" Elliot brought the subject up as they were grabbing subs at a deli. "Apart from you teaching Abe that the toilet seat being left up isn't an issue. I've got news. It totally is. Especially when a little girl falls in the toilet."<p>

"Oh no, I've got the memo on that one." Tutuola shook his head. "Abe can't seem to remember it but we're workin' on that."

"What then?"

Fin had to hand it to Elliot. The man had taken some time, and a few false starts. But he'd gotten on board with Fin marrying Liv with a vengeance especially after the twins were born. He still wasn't as close to Liv's partner as he was to John but Stabler had proven himself to be a decent friend.

"The kids are older now," He said slowly. "And we've got a routine down. It's good in a way." Fin hesitated and took a breath. "But sometimes…I worry that I'll get…forgetful. Or that the reasons we got married will get lost in the shuffle. I don't ever want to take Liv for granted. I don't want her to think that because she's my wife, because she's a mom now, that I don't see her as that gorgeous woman I fell in love with."

Stabler was grinning at him. "Yeah, it took me a while to figure that out." He admitted ruefully. "Kathy's still kickin' my ass about it."

"So? You want me to ask Kathy for advice? I'm proud but I'm not stupid. I'll ask if that's what it takes." Fin grinned. Kathy was definitely in charge of Elliot no matter how much the big marine thought otherwise.

"Nah…she'll just tell you what she told me when I finally figured out I should ask." Elliot nodded at the florist across the street. "Surprise her now and then. Take her on a date. Dancing. She'd like that. Or…hell…I dunno."

"Nah that's good." Fin grinned. "We ain't been dancin' in at least a year." He took out the little book he used as his personal note taker and scribbled it down. "Lemme know when you and Kathy can borrow my rugrats for a night. Or I'll get Ken to have sleep over. Then all three a my kids'll be happy."

Elliot laughed at him but nodded. "She keeps talkin' about dieting. So I guess chocolate is out. But you could get her one of those fruit bouquets. Kathy said one of her patients got one and they're as good as flowers."

"You're just full of good ideas today Stabler." Fin chuckled as he wrote it down. "What happened this morning? Kathy hit you in the head?"

"Nah, Dickie knocked me down the stairs." Elliot laughed back at him as they got in the car.

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><p>"So what brought this on?" Liv was swaying in his arms and Fin was having a hard time remembering that dancing and then the hotel room was the plan for the night. Not room then dancing. "Not that I don't love it babe."<p>

"I just…" He looked at the DJ in the corner and the man winked at him. The song that came on was slow and mournful, about a man who'd lost his woman because he was too young and stupid to realize what he had. The bed was too big, songs sounded different and he was alone. "I don't ever wanna hear this song and have it be me Babygirl. I couldn't stand it if I lost you."

"Fin you can't lose me. I'm yours. I'm always gonna be yours babe." She moved closer and her lips pressed to his cheek.

"And I'm yours. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't remind us both now and then, that we're more than parents. And more than cops." He stroked his hand down her back and reveled in the shiver that crept over her skin. "Ore mi, Ifemi, Ayanmo mii." He lifted her hand and kissed the wedding ring he'd put on her finger. "All my life Babygirl."

"I love you too Odafin Tutuola."

He'd go to his grave savoring the look in her eyes. And he'd spent the rest of his life making sure she never regretted sharing her life with him.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Just a little oneshot that someone reminded me I'd intended to write. The title is from the Bruno Mars song and here are the lyrics just so you have an idea of what inspired this little fic.<em>

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><p>When I Was Your Man<p>

Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now  
>Our song on the radio but it don't sound the same<br>When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down  
>'Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name<p>

It all just sounds like oooooh…  
>Mmm, too young, too dumb to realize<br>That I should've bought you flowers  
>And held your hand<br>Should've gave you all my hours  
>When I had the chance<br>Take you to every party  
>'Cause all you wanted to do was dance<br>Now my baby's dancing  
>But she's dancing with another man<p>

My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways  
>Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life<br>Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, ohh…  
>And it haunts me every time I close my eyes<p>

It all just sounds like oooooh…  
>Mmm, too young, too dumb to realize<br>That I should've bought you flowers  
>And held your hand<br>Should've gave you all my hours  
>When I had the chance<br>Take you to every party  
>'Cause all you wanted to do was dance<br>Now my baby's dancing  
>But she's dancing with another man<p>

Although it hurts  
>I'll be the first to say that I was wrong<br>Oh, I know I'm probably much too late  
>To try and apologize for my mistakes<br>But I just want you to know

I hope he buys you flowers  
>I hope he holds your hand<br>Give you all his hours  
>When he has the chance<br>Take you to every party  
>'Cause I remember how much you loved to dance<br>Do all the things I should have done  
>When I was your man<br>Do all the things I should have done  
>When I was your man<p> 


End file.
